Re: Did the mid east and Egypt used to be a plush region? If so, what changed?

At some time almost all areas of the Earth has had a different climate!
Because the continents are moving on the surface of the Earth they
experience different exposure to the Sun/the poles and therefore have had
almost all types of climate. Fossilized plants are found on Antartica, and
in the middle of the Sahara petrified trees can be found, as well as
drawings on cave walls showing a lush animal and plant life. 

The climate in one place also depends on some of the astronomical cycles
that determine the distance to the Sun as well as the orientation (tilt) of
the Earth wrt. the orbital plane. These 'Milankovitch' cycles are generally
understood to control the ice age cycles. The last ice age ended about
12000 years ago. The ice covered high latitudes and had profound effects on
the climate closer to equator.

I seem to remember (cant find the source now) that at the time of the
pyramid building climate may have been different in the middle east, but
since about 4000 years BC I think the climate has been almosty like it is
now - dry and hot.

During the 1970's the Sahara was spreading southward causing wide spread
migration and poverty in sub-Saharan Africa, but now inhabitants are moving
back north into areas green once more.